HALE: The Complete Hits Album

I have seen this guy in the past when we got the chance to talk with SomeDayDream a few months ago. I haven't seen them perform as a group "live" though aside from the occasional appearances they had with MYX via public television. He was nice, he had that presence and I'm not surprised he's got a huge following because aside from good looks... Champ Lui Pio's got so much talent. That goes the same with everyone in his band called Hale. 

Although we're all so shocked about their decision to disband for all the wrong or right reasons, we still continue to reminisce and ask ourselves... why do I love Hale and their songs. We might not even know why or how we could get the band back but for the latter we can easily get our fix of their music! Polyeast Records just came out with the "Platinum Collection : HALE | The Complete Hits Album". If you are a fan of the band or their songs, you would never want to let this thing pass because aside from the CD this contains a DVD compilation of all the greatest hits you love from HALE. This is surely something that fans should never miss. The playlist also boasts of 17 songs which topped Philippine charts when the band was still together. The song choices alone were great, I wonder if they had a hand at this. You should definitely watch the DVD first before listening to the CD. I guess that's the part where you get nostalgic.

Honestly I see quite a ton of sadness in some of these songs. But there's actually truth in these things. These songs matter to guys in general. Girls dig the part where its supposed to be sung to them. You dream of how these emotions could possibly be expressed; they use lyrics and music. Hale just does it like clockwork. It's like poetry put into a song. It's deep that you get depressed in a good way (if there is such a thing). Heavy on most of the ones included in the album; but totally apt for the occasion. There's like a sense of sadness but you love how it just brings your sanity back to something that would totally communicate how you feel when it happens to you. A breakup, a situation, a thing of the past just comes crashing back to you after hearing them play their music.

Broken Sonnet, The Day You Said Goodnight are given favorites. What I love in this album though is quite a surprise... it's the single Magkaibang Mundo. Not only because the official music video stars one of my muse Angel Locsin but because the words touched me the most. It's kinda situational too and I won't tell you I had a similar experience. No I won't tell you really LOL. I guess this album's strong point is that everybody's got a situation they can relate to. That's exactly what the songwriter probably wanted to do in the first place. If you like the band, the song and their music, you should definitely have this album. You'll regret it if you don't.

Please drop by your favorite record stores nationwide and get it. With a CD and DVD it's a collectors item. Thanks to Polyeast Records for making sure we have enough inspiration with Hale's music until now. I just wish somehow, someday they still get to play together. I'm with you. 

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PolyEast Records 

Acoustic Essentials: Angela Sings James Taylor, Michael Learns To Rock!

I've been listening to her CD these past few days and honestly I haven't seen this particular artist yet nor have I interviewed her. The album itself didn't contain her photos so I was wondering if this was really meant to be this way. I got her "Acoustic Essentials: Angela Sings James Taylor" and the other one "Acoustic Essentials: Angela Sings Michael Learns To Rock". Both of these artists are classics and I am very familiar of their songs; I wonder how she'll be able to do this since the songs are pretty good even without re-interpreting the original. 

I was surprised to hear this for the first time. She's got spunk and the voice is so angelic. No wonder the monicker! My current favorite on this first one is "If I Keep My Heart Out Of Sight". Although she didn't veer away that much from the way James Taylor sings this, it makes a refreshing and more dreamy way of doing this.You kinda get caught in the middle of just enjoying it and keeping your eyes closed setting the mood to relax and off to a good slumber. Here's some of the other songs in the album:

1 How Sweet It Is
2 You've Got A Friend
3 Fire and Rain
4 Wondering
5 Shower The People
6 Your Smiling Face
7 Sweet Baby James
8 Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
9 Handyman
10 If I Keep My Heart Out Of Sight
11 Something in The Way She Moves
12 Carolina On My Mind

The other album which contains "Michael Learns To Rock" covers is sublime! For those who loved their songs from a couple of years ago, this is definitely a "Must Buy". It really feels different to hear these songs come from a female because as you know the male take on this was kinda romantic. Since she sounds so angelic the difference just makes this a tad better. Not to undermine the original it just sounds clean and crisp when you do this on an unplugged state. 

If there's something to take note of on this album, it's the single "I'm Gonna Be Around". You can really feel that she's going to be there. The emotions were evidently showing on each track but I loved this one better. I guess to each his own. You kinda get the favorite songs you connect with. Believe me, it's quite easy to do that with her voice. She's done this so good. You have the choice to love more on this album's 12 tracks. Do you find anything that you fancy?!

1 25 Minutes
2 Out of the Blue
3 That's Why You Go Away
4 Paint My Love
5 The Actor
6 Sleeping Child
7 Breaking My Heart
8 How Many Hours
9 I'm Gonna Be Around
10 Nothing To Lose
11 You Took My Heart Away
12 Someday

For those who would like me to choose the better one between the two, I'd go for the James Taylor. Though it would really be a more moving experience if you got both CD's on your car. You'll feel definitely better because its worth collecting. On a Sunday afternoon, where you just want to chill and lie down on a hammock whilst sipping on your tropical punch laced with an umbrella on the side this is the perfect accompaniment for that. I wish I could meet the artist behind this album and ask her about the song choices because I feel her.

You can get these albums on your favorite record bars. This is also released in the Philippines by Polyeast Records. 

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PolyEast Records 

Celebrating 100 Years and More: Sharp!

It was always quite an amazing feeling to see how much we've improved over the years. With the era of fast cars, better airplanes, larger or even grander TV's we can only marvel at these technologies and wonder how these things came about. I might have no fetish with airplanes and cars but the TV has been my buddy since I was a kid. Case in point is this particular model of  SHARP TV. When I was a kid and played console games I was actually using a vintage black and white TV and it just didn't really made sense to do that back then when all the games we played were in color. Mom and Dad brought something like this model and got it hooked up with a pretty huge antenna so we can have more local TV stations covered. 

Our neighbors even went to our home and watched TV from outside. Honestly, this was a luxury at that time but we were just lucky to have one early on. It lasted a couple of years and for what its worth it has served us well. The purchase was worth it and if it weren't for the thunderstorm/lightning that struck our house at that time this particular TV would have managed to still work. The craftsmanship is impeccable and nobody in the right mind would have said otherwise. I loved our first color TV and kept it a few more years because I felt people from this side of the world can still fix that. If it weren't for Mom telling me to get a new one I would have still opted for that small guy since it fit perfectly in my room. I even remember SHARP becoming one of my technical pencils in college; and they gave me good grades in that too!

Did you know that SHARP is celebrating its 100th year? No joke! I didn't even know that its been that long. Reading off the history of the company it started September 15, 1912 when Mr Tokuji Hayakawa established a small metal work shop in Tokyo, Japan. He was young back then and even at that age he was able to harness a variety of patents and got the ball rolling to make the brand one of the most distinguished technologically adept companies in the whole world! Now in this momentous occasion, how do we celebrate with Sharp 100 Years? Well that's easy! You can simply join this contest which SHARP is doing for those who would like to celebrate their anniversary with them. 

Just go to https://share.sharp100years.com/ and simply post your own anniversary photos or videos. Wouldn't you want to have a trip to the US West Coast and more? Do you know that your entry can also be made into a film? That's exactly what they are going to do if you are chosen as the Anniversary Share II Winner from SHARP. They've got our country included and since we've been one of the world's best sources for photographers/videographers this would be so easy for us I'm sure of that!  

Because Anniversaries are worth celebrating with SHARP's 100 Years!

Since I'm a photographer too, I'll be sending my best photo in the contest. For my buddy photographers out there, are you up for a challenge? Then this is going to be worth the trip!Congratulations also to SHARP for your 100th Year! Sharp continues to improve the quality of people's lives through the years by using the best technology available and its commitment to make innovative products, maintain the quality of it but still think about environmental protection, its value and design. You deserve a few hundred more years in the business!

For more information about the SHARP contest


Visit their website


https://share.sharp100years.com/

http://www.sharp100years.com

Greet them also by using hashtag #Sharp100!

Site Undergoing Changes

Hi guys! As you may have noticed, my site is undergoing some changes. I am gunning for a more "minimalistic" but functional look. I'm trying to make this site a little fresher than the usual.

Cleaning up is a hard job so it might take me a few days to put in all the codes and stuff. 

Please bear with me, thank you!